Color mixing machine



j 26, i937 P. L.4 HEXTER 2,053,646

COLORMIXING MACHINE Filed ont.v 2, 1955 l|l M ll l' l1 INVENT OR. @4x/L L #5x7-ER ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1937 PATENT OFFICE COLOR MIXING MACHINE Paul L. Hexter, Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to The Arco lompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a 'corporation Application October v2, 1935, Serial No. 43,200

' d 5 Claims( This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for dispensing paints of different colors for the purpose of making a paint having a desired color or shade.

\In the paint trade it 'has beencustomary for a Y ealer to carry a stock of ready-mixed paint of each color and shade that he sold, and this has necessitated a relatively large capital outlay for the necessary inventory, and has also been objectionable,.from the standpoint of the dealer, because of the fact that it is impossible to anticipate the demandfor the different colors and, as

a result, there may be no demand for some of thecolors and, on the other hand, thedemand for other colors may exceed the supply on hand.

In the automobile re-painting trade, there is a demand for a' wide variety of colors and, for the reasons above stated it has been diicult for the paint dealers to promptly supply paints -of various` colors and shades when demanded. f

The principal object-of the present invention is to make it possible for paint dealers to carry a relatively small stock of certain standard colors and to make up therefrom a mixture of any par- -ticular shade or color that may be called for.

This is accomplished by providing the dealer with apparatus embodying the invention hereinafter described and claimed, and whereby paint of any desired color may be quickly and conveniently made up.

In the drawing which illustrates what I now consider to`- be the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig.- 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention, as seen from the front thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an extension shelf that is employed with the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

' Fig. 4 is a section through one of the individ ual containers forming a part of said apparatus;v and -N Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cover.

In the drawing, I0 indicates a frame which p may be made of angle iron or other suitable structural material and which is provided with a forwardly projecting shelf II on which the eX- tension shelf |2,4 illustrated in Fig. 3, may be supported. Near the top of the frame IIJ there is a horizontally extending rod I3 on which a plurality of plates or supports I4 are pivoted. At aconvenient distance below the rod I3 and somewhat forward thereof, the frame I0 carries a -engaged by the lugs 24 on the plates I4.

-plates I8 are substituted therefor, these plates 10v being adapted to make sealing .engagement with the top peripheral edges of the containers II, as shown in Fig. 4. Bolts I9 are arranged on opposite sides of the containers I'I and extend from the supports I4 through the laterally projecting l5 ears 20 on the covers I8 and, by means of wing nuts 2|, on the bolts I9, the covers I8 may be drawn down tightly on the containers I'I and the latter securely clamped between the covers and the supports I4. 4

As will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2, the containers I'I are arranged in two rows on the frame I0 and, since there will be a substatial load on the rods I3 and I5 they are preferably supported in bearings 22 at several intermediate points. Normally, the containers I1 are arranged in a substantially upright position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to support them in this position the frame I0 is provided with bars 23 which are Each of the covers I8 carries a rotatable stirrer 25 which has a shaft 26 extending through a boss 21 in the cover and provided at its outer end with a transverse pin or key 28` with which a crank 29 is adapted to engage for the purpose of rotating the stirrer. The cover I8 is also provided with a discharge orifice 29' with which a blade or bar 30 is adapted to cooperate to control the flow through the orifice. The bar 30 is pivoted at 3| and the cover has lugs 32 and 33 which act as stops for the bar 3D in its fully open and fully closed position. The bar 30 thus acts as a gate valve and when the valve is closed and the container returned to its upright position, all of the liquid in the orice 29 will drain back into 5 the container and leave the orifice clear. There Thecontainer is held in this horizontal position 55 that he may be called upon to make up. For

convenience, each of the containers may be given a number to identify the color of the paint which it contains, and the operator is supplied with formulas for the composition of each color and shade that he may be called upon to make up. These formulas merely specify the quantity that is required of each of the various constituent colors, and the latter may be identified by the number thereof, as stated above.

Let us assume that the desired coloi` is made up of varying amounts of the different colors in four of the containers l1. The contents of these four containers are first thoroughly stirred by the use of the crank 29 which is preferably provided with a bayonet-type connection so that it may be readily attached to the shaft of the stirrer and any of the'containers'. 'These four containers are then swung down to their horizontal position or, if preferred, they may be swung down vto the horizontal lposition before the stirring operation. If the containers I1, from which the material is to be drawn, are in the lower row of containers, the extension shelf I2 -is arrangedon the shelf ll, as shown in Fig. l, and a receptacle, such as an ordinary paint can, is placed on the extension shelf l2 beneath one of the containers Il. The valve 30, associated with this container, isthen opened and the prescribed amount of material allowed to flow into the receptacle. For thezpurpose of conveniently measuring the amount of material to be thus discharged into the receptacle, I have invented a gauge for accuratelyv measuring the height of the surface of the liquid above the bottom of the receptacle, and,thi,s gauge forms the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 43,201, filed October 2, 1935. However, any other suitable means may be used for measuring the desired quantity of material that is to be discharged in the receptacle These operations are repeated until-the amount of 'each of the various colors called for bythe formula has been run' into the receptacle, when a cover is placed on the receptacle and the contents, thoroughly mixed to provide the necessary blending of the' various colors.

If any of the constituent colors, specified in the particular formula being made up, happens to bein a. container in the upper row on the frame lll, the extension shelf I2 is 'inverted from the position shown in Fig. l, as shown in Fig. 2, and the receptacle into-which the colors are to be discharged is placed on the top of the extension shelf where it will be in convenient position to receive material from any of the containers l1 of the upper row.

In the foregoing specification I have used the word paint in the broad sense in which it includes such materials as varnishes, lacquers, and enamels, as well as ordinary paints, and, while I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be the preferred form of my invention# it is tobe understood that various changes may be made in thedetails of construction without departing from the spirit fof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In apparatus of the class described,`the combination of a. frame, a plurality of supports pivotally mounted on said frame, containers on said supports having open tops, covers tightly fitting ers in a substantially upright position or in position to pour out the contents thereof, each of said covers having a valve-controlled discharge orifice, and said frame having means to support another container` in position `to receive the material discharged from the orifices of any of the first mentioned covers.

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a frame, a plurality of supports pivotally mounted on said frame, containers on said supports having open tops, covers tightly tting the tops of said containers, means for clamping said containers in position between said supports and said covers, means for holding said containers in a .substantially upright position or in position to pour out the c'ontents thereof, each of said covers having a valve-controlled discharge orifice and a rotatable stirrer for the contents of the container associated therewith, said stirrers each having a shaft projecting exteriorly of the .covers and adapted to receive an operating crank,

and said frame having' means to support another container in position to receive the material discharged from the orifices of any of said covers.

3. In apparatus of the clas's described, the

combination ofa frame, a support pivotally mounted on said frame, a container on said support, a cover plate for said container provided with a discharge orifice, means for detachably securing said plate to said support with said container clamped therebetween, and said cover having a. rotatable stirrer mounted thereon and projecting into said container, and a pivotally mounted bar on said plate for controlling the discharge through said orifice., i

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, a plate pivotally mounted on said frame, cooperating means on said plate and said frame to hold said plate indifferent positions, an open-top container on said plate, a cover in sealing engagement with the top of said container and provided with a discharge orice, a plurality of bolts extending between said plate and said cover and adapted to clamp the container in position, said cover having` a rotatableI tainers and each having-a discharge orifice,

means for securing each cover plate to its associated support and for clamping the containers in position, each of said cover plates having Ya rotatable stirrer mounted thereon and projecting into the container associated therewith, each of said cover plates also having a bar pivoted on theexterior thereof for controlling' the discharge through its orifice, and said frame having a shelf in laterally offset relation to saidrows to support a receptacle in position to receive liquid discharged from any of said containers.

PAUL L. HEX'I'ER.. 

